Borderlands: Raider Occupation
by AvilianT
Summary: With Hyperion defeated, the broken corporation forms a truce with all of our favorite heroes and the reformed Crimson Raiders. With the power of the Sirens they plan to spread freedom and justice across the known universe. But, with Hyperion seeking and destroying the fourth and final Siren every time she is reborn, the Raiders must use their secret weapon to find her before them.
1. Chapter 1

Borderlands

Raider Occupation

Chapter 01

A young man with short, dark brown that's shaved on all sides and left short on the top is tinkering with a board in front of a large table with all sorts of tools and other contraptions all around him in a dimly lit place behind a large front desk in a small shop. One of the tools he's using shocks his hand and he gasps in pain as he grasps his hand.

"God, damn it!" The shop bell rings and a man with long blonde hair steps in. He's wearing a black suit with a white collar and has a cross with three arms around his neck.

"You know better than to put the lord's name in vain, my son." The young man shoots from his seat and bows his head.

"I'm sorry Father. My tools are so outdated they're begging to be put to pasture."

"How's my daughter's hover-board coming along?"

"Her hover-conversion is totally flipped. It must have been some trick she was trying to pull."

"I believe it was something called... _The Tri-fecta_?"

"Yup; that'll do it. Her propulsion units are backwards and the wiring is crossed. But if my tools don't give me anymore problems I'll have it done later today, Father."

"Good to hear, Lorik. I'll be by later today to pick it up." The man walks out and Lorik sits back down in his seat.

"Alright guys... I know you're all hurting. But this is our last, big payoff for a while so we gotta get this done!"

"Get what done?" Lorik jumps in surprise and a large orb hovers up to his face, giving off a green glow as it's eye stares him down.

"You have got to stop scaring me like that, Clank!"

"I'm sorry, I just came to tell you that I just finished the triggers and revolving canisters in your guns-"

"Shh!" Lorik hushes as he grabs the orb's eye, "You trying to get me arrested?!"

"I'm sorry. But I just wanted to know what you need me to do next?"

"Have you started on the compound conversions?"

"Uh... no."

"And have you started loading Corrosion, Fire and Electric canisters in the magazines?"

"No to that too." Lorik taps the side of the orb and smirks.

"Then get to it." Clank hovers away and Lorik continues repairing the hover-board. An excruciating shock cramps up his left hand and he falls off his seat in surprise.

"GOD-" His curse is cut short as he sees the top of his hand is completely black like a fingerless-glove. He screams in pain again as the blackness starts crawling up to the middle of his forearm and when sees his palm he sees a blackened four-point star that connects to two sharp points that go down to his wrist. The markings resemble tribal tattoos trying to imitate the bones beneath his burning skin with sharp lines and pointed ends. Another shock makes Lorik scream in white, hot agony.

"LORIK?!" Clank exclaims as he hovers over him, "WHAT'S WRONG?!"

"Go get Father Grimes and Doc—OH GOD!" Another shock makes it feel like his arm is bending backwards and he grasps it, "GO GET HELP!"

"Right away!" Clank bursts through the open window calling for Father Grimes and the doctor. Lorik curls up and glares at the strange markings as the pain gets worse and worse. Sweat beads down his forehead and his entire body feels like it's on fire, "GOD, PLEASE HELP ME!" Clank is over him again as a dark tunnel starts to fade his vision, "Clank?"

"Oh my God, Lorik what's happened to you?" Father Grimes asks as he knees down beside him. He places a hand on the markings and Lorik screams in pain.

"OH, GOD!" The priest jumps back in surprise as the doctor and two nurses knee down on each side of him.

"I need morphine and a stretcher, NOW!"

"And a blanket!" Father Grimes yells as he tries to cover the markings before one of the soldiers see him. The nurse stabs a syringe into Lorik's leg as the doctor out lays a stretcher with the help of the other nurse. Clank hovers over Lorik as it spreads a blanket over his person. Lorik continues to scream with every touch and the nurse covers her ears in sympathy, "For the love of God, give him more Morphine!" Father Grimes cries as he stares Lorik in the eyes, "Hang on, my boy!" Lorik grabs the priest's arm as tears and sweat continue to pour down his face.

"Please make it stop!" He cries as the nurse gives him another shot. Father Grimes grips his hand gently as his breathing slows and his voice grows calmer.

"Just rest, my son." He looks into Lorik's eyes but raises an eyebrow as his face starts to grow red, "Are you alright?"

"On three, lift him and slide the stretcher under him." The doctor says as he grips Lorik's shoulders, "Ready?"

"Wait, something's wrong!" Lorik then starts to scream again and flails his legs and arms around; trying to escape the pain.

"WHY WON'T YOU HELP ME?!" Lorik cries as he continues to scream until it feels like his throat will explode.

"Give him another shot!"

"If I give him another shot his heart could stop entirely!" He takes out leather straps and hands them to the nurse, "Tie him down onto the stretcher!"

"Yes, doctor!" Father Grimes backs up and clasps his hands together in panicked prayer.

"Go to the hospital and prepare a closed ER with you and Doctor Brown only! If anyone asks we have a young man with severe lacerations going up the left arm!" One nurse runs out of Lorik's shop while the other grips the front of the stretcher from the front, the doctor grabbing the back, "Father, the door!" Father Grimes opens the door and they rush out with Lorik screaming and writhing in the stretcher.

"MAKE IT STOP, PLEASE!" People look out their windows and doorways to see the commotion going on in the dirt streets of their town, "PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!" Lorik looks down at his arm and tries to shake the blanket off, "LET ME SEE! LET ME SEE IT!" Father Grimes holds his head down as they continue to run. The tunnel collapses onto Lorik and everything goes black.

* * *

A young woman with blue hair and strange, blue markings going from the tip of her shoulder down to her hip on the left side grips a white and orange mask as a man grunts and screams in a medical room. A tall, dark man walks in and places a hand on her shoulder.

"How's he doin'?"

"They can't put him under because they need to monitor his responses as they—poke around in his head." She gets chocked up as she watches the doctors put another needle in the large man's head.

"Krieg is as strong as an ox, Maya. He'll pull through." Maya grips the mask tighter as Krieg screams in pain and obscenity.

"What did they do to him, Roland?" Tears start to roll down her cheeks as Krieg continues to scream. Maya runs out of the observation room, Roland follows behind her. Another woman is sipping a cup of coffee as they both walk in. She has red and white hair and similar blue markings that crest across her chest, dip to the left side of her ribs and then crest back across the left side of her stomach and goes down to her thigh. Maya walks out of the room and Roland scratches the back of his head.

"I hate to see her like this." The woman sighs as she stands up and leans against Roland, "How is he?"

"The doctors think they're making progress. He's starting to talk normally but I'm more worried about Maya." The woman grips his chin and kisses his cheek.

"Just remember sweetie, you're all mine." She walks out of the room and tries to catch up with Maya, leaving Roland in the room.

"I'm surrounded by death." He sighs as he walks back into the medical observation room.

The woman manages to catch up with Maya in the middle of a large, desert courtyard and grabs her arm to stop her.

"Cool your heels, sis. Talk to me." They both sit down on a near by bench and Maya hugs the mask close to her chest, "You know he wanted this."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it, Lilith. It doesn't mean I have to stand him screaming in pain." She looks Lilith in the eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks like waterfalls, "Do you know what it's like to be in love with a man that loves you back but can't actually show it because some... fuck-tard in a fancy lab coat decided they wanted to try and play god in someone's brain? To do fucked up shit to their entire body?!"

"No, sweetie I don't. But I do know that you're the only one on this whole damn planet that he didn't want to kill. He actually conveyed coherent, sensible words to you when you both first met. Saved your life and you are still the only one that can interpret what he's trying to say."

"Does this have a point?"

"That he's wanting to go through all that pain and reminders of the worst day of his life so he can be the man that you love." Two soldiers walk past them and they scoot closer together so only they can hear their conversation, "Hell come out on top... you'll see."

"Hey Sirens!" They both look behind themselves and a young woman with red hair in pigtails and a robotic left arm waves them down, "Angel thinks she has another hit!" They both rush to the girl as she walks back into the large building.

Maya and Lilith run into a large, opened room with a circular device that is projecting a hologram of a planet. Around it are hundreds of people behind computers talking on headsets. The girl with the robotic limb skips next to a tall, skinny man wearing goggles and feeding a small, red bird that is resting on his shoulder. Another young woman with similar blue markings like Lilith and Maya only they cover half her hand and stops half way to her hip. The right half of her head is shaved and the other half with long bangs that cover her left eye and long enough to put in ponytail that reaches past her shoulders walks up to the hologram's terminal and starts typing.

"Gaige says you found the fourth?" Maya asks as she straps the mask to her hip. The woman with the shaved head looks up at them, her piercing blue eyes wide with anticipation.

"I just felt it in the meditation room!" The planet gets zoomed out and a spiral filled with small lights replaces the image, "She's on Eden-One!" A smaller planet with two orbiting moons appears, "I couldn't pinpoint her exact location but I do know she's on the second moon; Eve."

"That's not good." Gaige sighs as she rubs her brow, "Edens one through four and all their respective moons are controlled by Hyperion." The entire room grows quiet and Angel looks at Gaige, "If she's revealed herself she could already be dead."

"I haven't felt a tremor yet so she must still be alive and hopefully in hiding!"

"Roland, Axton and I will depart immediately." The man with the bird says as the bird flies away.

"Not a chance, Mordecai. Last time you all scared her half-to-death. She actually ran into the arms of Hyperion. Maya and I will go with a small Raider escort."

"We can't send two of our strongest-"

"Not another word, Mr. Drinky." Lilith chuckles as she places a finger over Mordecai's lips, "This is not up for debate." Maya walks out of the room and Angel grabs a backpack, "Where the hell do you think you're going, little missy?"

"With my sisters to find the last Siren, duh." She walks past Lilith but she's stopped mid-walk and is lifted off the ground with a glowing, blue ball surrounding her.

"You're staying right here where we can protect you."

"WHY DO YOU ALWAYS DO THIS TO ME! I WANT A LIFE OUTSIDE OF THIS BUILDING, DAMN IT!"

"All of Hyperion thinks you're dead, Angel. It has to stay that way." She hovers Angel into the arms of Mordecai and he places a hand on her shoulder, "Stay safe, stay out of trouble. Ya hear me?" She nods slightly, keeping her head down and Lilith runs out of the building.

Maya pats a soldier's back as she hands the mask to her and she runs past her with a salute. Lilith joins her side as a small squad of ten men and women form up behind them; loading and locking their guns. Maya is handed a large, yellow gun with a long barrel but short stock and Lilith is handed a shotgun with three barrels and a revolving magazine.

"We're headed for Eden-One's moon; Eve. We have a possible signature for the fourth and final Siren."

"You all know the drill! If you spot her do not approach her! Contact Maya or myself and we'll handle it from there."

"We don't have to tell you how dangerous Hyperion has gotten ever since our shaky treaty of noncombat. Stay sharp, and trust in each other out on the field!" A large ship's engines start to hum to life and its large bay doors open and they all march in.

* * *

The doctor and Father Grimes burst through double doors as Lorik continues to writhe in extreme pain. A woman in a lab coat walks through another door with the other nurse and slips on a pair of surgical gloves.

"What's wrong?!"

"He's experiencing extreme, mental pain throughout his left arm. I gave him two shots of morphine but the pain only seems to be getting worse!" The doctor yells as he washes his hands, "Get that blanket off of him. Father Grimes you have to wait outside!"

"Oh my God!" Father Grimes yells as he removes the blanket, "The markings have reached all the way up his shoulder!"

"What markings? Those are just tattoos!"

"NO! THEY'RE NOT! HE HATES TATTOOS!" The doctor turns around and immediately recoils at the sight of the moving marks.

"Those aren't tattoos." He walks over to Lorik's right side and holds down his arm, "Hold him down! I gotta give him an I.V.!" The nurse and female doctor hold him down as best they can while Father Grimes slowly backs away.

"What's happening to him?!"

"Father I need you to wait outside and make sure no Hyperion soldiers walk in or around here!" Father Grimes walks out of the room and the nurse hangs an I.V. bag, "Get me Eridium! STAT!"

Father Grimes is leaning against the wall next to the ER doors and a young man runs up to him. Dirt is all over his face and sweat staining his clothes.

"I came by the shop and Clank told me to come here, what's wrong?!"

"Michael, my dear boy. You need to go back to the shop and hide all of Lorik's secret projects; including Clank! And then man the shop until I return!"

"Father?"

"Do it, my son! Everything will be explained when I arrive just go!" Michael runs back down the hall and out of the hospital while Father Grimes crosses himself again and clutches onto the large cross around his neck and begins to silently pray.

Michael bursts through the doors of Lorik's shop and Clank charges him. Michael ducks and Clank collides with the wall behind him and a weird noise bellows through the shop.

"Damn it Clank! It's just me!"

"Master Michael! I thought you were a Hyperion?"

"Well I'm not, but Father Grimes told me to hide all of Lorik's projects including you! Where are they?"

"It's just two. Follow me!" Clank hovers through the store and exits out through the back doors. Michael follows and they both enter a large, junkyard maze. Clank guides him through it and they arrive at a small, wooden shack, "The maze is filled with booby traps unless you know exactly where to go." Clank says as he flies through a hole that's the perfect size for him, "It'll just be a second. I'm the key to this place and it's wiring hasn't been updated in sometime." A light above the door explodes as the shack turns on and Michael jumps. The door flies open and Clank is waiting on the other side.

"What is he working on?"

"Two guns and a hover-board. The hover-board is unlike anything I've ever seen. It has two main propulsion units but then ten more smaller boosters for extra stability and speed along the under rim of it. Plus, instead of a strap it's deck is fitted for his boots."

"Magnets?"

"Magnets." Clank hovers over two husks of large, revolver like guns and Michael's jaw drops, "These beauties are Ivory and Ebony." One gun is white with black markings and the other is black with white markings, "He's trying to perfect the Tri-Element technology. Fire, Electricity and Acid."

"How will he get the ammunition from them. These look like forty-four magnums but much larger!"

"Of course they're larger! They have to be large to fit in the voice recognition and three system shooting!"

"That doesn't answer the ammo problem."

"They have a solar ring in the center of the revolving magazines." Clank says as he opens up Ivory's magazine to show a clear case with two rings revolving around each other with a small, yellow light in the middle.

"So they get energy from a sun and the energy charges the stock's firing systems so he never runs out of ammo." Michael smooths his hair back with a chuckle, "He's a... a God! Does he realize how much money he can make if he sold this to a Weapons Manufacturer?"

"Yeah... like he'll ever do that." Clank sighs as he picks up the board with a blue light that connect to its eye, "So where should we hide these?" Michael walks up to another table where a strange visor that has three slits going across the whole visor and is pointed at the tip down the middle and is glowing red that's connected by multiple wires to a small chip with a clear, glass hole in the middle and is pulsing with a faint, blue light.

"What is this?"

"I dunno. Lorik won't tell me. Think we should hide it too?"

"Yup." Michael picks up the guns and all their pieces and rolls them in a cloth and then gently picks up the strange visor and small chip, "We should hide these in a car or small compartment in the junk-maze.

"Great idea!" Clank laughs as he flies out of the shack with the board.

Father Grimes is pacing back forth in front of the ER's doors clutching onto his cross. The doctor then comes out and Father Grimes runs up to him.

"Is he okay, Rath?" Doctor Rath removes his gloves with a heavy sigh, "What's wrong?"

"The markings aren't... ordinary markings."

"What do you mean?"

"They resonated from his hand and worked up all the way to his shoulder. It then moved up his neck and crossed his left eye and then split between his entire left pectoral and then stretched all across his left shoulder blade to his right shoulder blade. Then it wrapped around his shoulder and went up to his right eye."

"What are you saying?"

"We had to use diluted Eridium to stop the pain. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" Doctor Rath whispers. Father Grimes shakes his head and Rath sighs. He leans in close to Father Grimes' ear and whispers more hushed, "Before the pain subsided it got worse. And when it got worse he broke out of his restraints and flung Doctor Brown across the room; breaking her collarbone. Without even touching her. He's a _Siren_." Father Grimes gasps as he almost falls backwards but Rath catches him.

"That's... that's impossible."

"Don't you think I know that?! We have got to get him back to his home without Hyperion finding him!"

"I—I think deep down I knew. But I was in denial. He can't be a Siren. Only women can, this is a nightmare!"

"Father Grimes I need you to focus, okay? I need you to go down into the morgue and get a body bag. If anyone asks tell them I sent you. We need to sneak him out of here." Father Grimes nods as he walks away, still a little shaky and the nurse joins Doctor Rath's side.

"What are we going to do?" She asks as she takes off her gloves.

"Admit Doctor Brown and get a cast for her. I'll deal with Lorik."

* * *

Maya and Lilith are playing cards with a few of the soldiers in the middle of a large bay of the ship while the other converse among themselves. Maya scratches her jaw in contemplation and looks at the makeshift table.

"I call." She throws down to skinny silver bars onto the large pile and glances over at Lilith.

"I'll raise. Two hundred." She throws down two skinny gold bars and smirks at everyone while she blows a bubble in her gum.

"Fold." Everyone sighs in unison.

"Oh, come on!" Lilith roars as she picks up the small pile of credits, "This isn't going to be fun if you guys fold every time I raise!"

"You have a tell, Lilith." One of the soldiers laughs as she leans back in her seat.

"No I don't!"

"You blow a bubble in your gum every time you have a good hand." Maya chuckles as she flips her cards over, "See, Royal Flush!" Lilith groans under her breath as she takes all the cards and shuffles them. A scream echoes through the ship and everyone grabs their guns and starts to look around, "What the hell was that?!"

"Let go of me!"

"Oh God, please no." Lilith groans as she lowers her gun. Two solders enter the bay with Angel in between them; each holding one of her arms, "God damn it, Angel!"

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Maya yells as she yanks on one of her ears, "We told you to stay on Pandora!"

"I wanted to meet her!"

"You can't! We're in Hyperion Territory. If they see you they'll do everything they can to get back the sole-heir to the Hyperion Corporation!"

"I want to at least see our last sister!" She screeches as she yanks her arms out of the soldier's grips, "Do you know what it's like to be able to sense her? I sense how she dies! How they all die! I want to meet at least one and see if I can save her!" Tears start to form in her eyes and everyone goes back to what they were doing. Maya and Lilith glance at each other and then Lilith grabs a cloak.

"You're gonna need to wear this; hide your marks." She flips the hood over her face and laughs, "And hide that hair of yours."

"How long until we get there?"

"Five days. We're traveling all the way to the center of the Eden Prime Nebula."

"Come on, maybe you can give me a challenge in poker?" Lilith laughs as they all walk back to their game.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 02

Lorik slowly opens his eyes and is greeted with the picture of his family. His mother and father standing behind a younger version of himself. He runs his fingers over the picture and then gasps in shock as he sees the finger-less glove tattoo on his hand. He falls out of his bed and sees more of the tribal tattoos going up his entire arm. He runs to his bathroom mirror and screams in terror as he sees the markings have reached his face. Three sharp points stretch up from his neck and across his cheeks; all three go across his eyes like scars. He turns his back to the mirror and strains his neck to see the whole damage. More tribal tattoos going all the way down; resembling a pointed spine. Clank then hovers in along with Michael.

"Holy shit, when did you get those? I thought you hated tattoos?" Michael asks as he leans in the doorway.

"I didn't get these!" Lorik starts to rub the skin to try and and brush it all off, "What the hell happened to me?!" Father Grimes walks in with a small smile on his face, "Father! What's happening?!"

"Come... sit and I'll explain." Lorik grabs a long sleeved shirt and slips it on as Father Grimes guides all three of them into the living room. Michael and Lorik sit down on the couch and Clank hovers next to Lorik's head. Father Grimes sits in the lazy chair next to Michael and sighs, "There is no easy way to say this so I'll just say it." Father Grimes takes a deep breath and then looks Lorik in the eyes, "You're a Siren." Michael laughs and Father Grimes raises an eyebrow.

"That's impossible. Only woman can be Sirens. Unless.—Lorik, got something hidden under those jeans?" Michael teases but Lorik keeps his gaze on the priest.

"This is a joke... right? Michael's right only women can be Sirens. And I have balls."

"It was proven when Doctor Rath administered diluted Eridium to stop the pain. Plus you broke Doctor Brown's collarbone without touching her; flinging her across the room." Lorik starts to hyperventilate and Father Grimes rushes to his side, "Put your head between your legs, Lorik!" Lorik does so and Father Grimes rubs the back of his head, "Deep breaths, child."

"This can't be real. Sirens are women, not men!"

"I think we've established that, Mike." Clank says as he hovers towards the stairs, "Help me get all of his projects back in place."

"YOU TOUCHED MY STUFF?!" Lorik gasps as he grabs his chest, "I think I'm about to have a heart attack!"

"Don't be such a drama king, Lorik. Nothing was broken" Michael sighs as he follows Clank downstairs. Lorik takes deep breaths and Father Grimes pats his back.

"There's a shuttle departing for Pandora in four days." Father Grimes places a pouch filled with credits, "You're to buy a ticket and board it."

"Why? You're kicking me out? I'm not a danger to anyone!"

"If the Hyperion Corporation finds out you're a Siren they'll kill you!" Father Grimes grips Lorik's hands and stares in his eyes, "You have to be safe! Pandora is mainly controlled by the Crimson Raiders. You'll be safe there."

"You're kidding right? Monsters, bandits, cannibals? I'll be roasted on a spit as soon as I land! And If not that the Raiders will force me into service!"

"Not if you finish Ebony and Ivory."

"How do you know about them?"

"Clank told me."

"Damned big mouth."

"Go on and get back to work. Doctor Rath and I will be back in four days to drive you and Michael to the port. In the mean time do not leave your property and do not see anyone besides Michael, Brown or myself." Lorik nods and Father Grimes walks towards the stairs, "Be safe, my son." Lorik smooths his hair back with a sigh and walks down the stairs.

"See you soon, Father." Father Grimes waves goodbye and closes the shop's door behind him. Lorik walks out the back and through the maze of junk. He enters his shack and Clank is hovering over the visor and chip.

"What is this?"

"You keep asking and yet I'll give you the same answer; none of your business."

"These are some beautiful pieces man. How did you find the materials for them?" Michael asks as he stares at the two pistols.

"Hyperion leaves their storerooms unlocked. I got their best tools and supplies from their Depot."

"That's a dangerous game, man."

"But so worth it." Lorik sits down and starts tinkering with the black one, "Clank, get the next Sun Disc ready!"

"Yes sir!" Clank flies out of the shack and Michael sits next to him on a nearby stool.

"So Clank answered my ammo question but the three elements you want to use in these guns... how will you find more of those?"

"What do you mean?" Lorik puts on a pair of goggles and Michael gets sidetracked by his Siren Marks, "Mike?"

"Sorry. Uh... you'll eventually run out of Acid and Fire and Electricity. So how will you stock up on those?" Lorik holds up a clear vial with a dark green liquid in it, "What's that?"

"The chemical compound for Acid." Lorik slides the vial in the revolving magazine that has only three slots, "See...the Sun Disc gets its power from solar rays projected by a sun. It generates heat, and where there's heat-

"There's energy." Michael finishes with a nod.

"Precisely. And the energy is fed through this." Lorik points out the cocking mechanism that's similar to most revolvers, "I substituted this as the safety." He then points out a small, long light that goes across the entire top of the barrel, "This lights up in green, blue or red depending on the element I want to use."

"Telling you it's done charging the element where the solar flares come in."

"Told ya. I'm a great teacher." Lorik teases as he punches his friend's shoulder, "So when it's done charging all I have to do is pull this back and it' ready to fire."

"And the revolving magazine doesn't just serve as the hold for the compounds, right?"

"No. Once I choose the compound it slides midway up the barrel and then the revolving mag spins according to the fire-rate I want."

"You are a God, my man." Michael laughs as Lorik slides out the compound, "How far are they from being finished?"

"A day or two. All I need to do is finish calibrating Ebony's fire sequence and get a hold of another cooling coil so it doesn't overheat."

"You can easily get one those at my shop."

"Hyperion has better ones. No offense."

"None taken. They might be a fascist, corrupted business but they make quality shit." Clank flies in with another sun disc and hands it to Lorik. Lorik slides it into the black gun and then welds it shut.

"Clank I need you to go to the Hyperion Depot and get one more cooling coil for me."

"Yes, sir!" Clank flies back out and Michael slides his stool towards the other table where his hover-board is.

"Is this done?"

"Yup. Already took it out for a few test drives and she runs like a dream."

"And what about this? Clank seems interested in this."

"That's an A.I. Chip. Once inserted into the visor all the files connecting my board and guns will be accessed through Clank."

"A Neural Net. I like it."

"I'll be able to choose which element and fire-rate in my guns and the propulsion rate and speed in my board."

"Plus your standard A.I. Interface. Quicker reactions and observation. Deal with more data and Intel and have the tools to see things further and clearer."

"I think you just quoted me when we were working on Clank." Lorik laughs as he closes the magazine to Ebony and starts working on Ivory, "Oh Father Grimes also wants us to leave for Pandora in four days."

"I know."

"You know?!"

"He told me while you rested. Though he wouldn't tell me why; I know why now. I still can't believe you're a Siren, man. I thought only Women can be Sirens."

"That only goes to show how deep the Eridians have cut into Human civilization. Who knows how many male sirens there can be in the universe?"

"What if you replace one of the spots for the female Sirens?"

"That would make more sense. But what's most worrying is that the Hyperion Corporation no wants me dead."

"What the fuck?"

"Father Grimes told me that Hyperion is hunting down Sirens. So I need to steer clear of them and The Crimson Raiders."

"Why the Raiders?"

"If Hyperion wants Sirens dead it can only be, because the Raiders want them for some reason and I will be nobody's pet." Michael laughs as he rolls over to the mini-fridge and takes out two cans of beer.

"Brewski?"

"Sure." Michael kicks the door closed and then rolls back next to Lorik, "Thanks." Tyler pops it open and takes a few sips, "Hey, can you hand me the sonic driver?" Michael grabs a tool that's hanging from the ceiling and is connected to a large gas canister by a hose and gives it to him, "Thank you."

"So why Ebony and Ivory?"

"Hm?"

"Why name your guns Ebony and Ivory?"

"I put my first two year's saving towards getting the actually materials ebony and ivory. I then used them along with a standard Dahl alloy."

"Dahl does make sturdy guns." Michael chuckles as he takes a swig from his beer, "So you have Hyperion and Dahl in your guns. Anything else?"

"I bought the compounds from the black market. I know a guy and he stole them from Maliwan." Michael's eyes widen and Lorik raises an eyebrow, "What?"

"Jesus dude! All your missing is a theft from Torgue!"

"Where the hell do you think I got the frames and molds for the guns?"

"You're kidding me, right?"

"We're a farming moon off of Eden-One with low income! Eden One is the heart of all Manufactures for the universe! I've dreamed of having the ultimate guns strapped to my hip. And I'll do anything to get that. So yes, the technology is from Hyperion, the ammo from Maliwan, the frames from Torgue and the alloys and metals from Dahl."

"You're the reason they don't sell all their guns. You know that right?"

"Only twenty-five percent of guns from each company sells commercially. The other seventy-five goes to Hyperion."

"Actually... only sixty percent goes to Hyperion. Fifteen percent goes to the Raiders."

"Yeah... the scraps."

"You saying you approve of the Crimson Raider's occupation on Pandora?"

"All I'm saying is that we have two entities fighting for control over the universe. One wants freedom for all systems which could ultimately lead to chaos; turning every planet and habitable moon into a Pandora. The other wants controlled economics through fascist means of domination and a dictatorial status quo."

"So-?

"So I'd rather everything be diplomatic and every system elects a planet as it's capital where the people elect a sole person to run everything along with a congress of us; the people. And there be a place where they all meet and try to figure out the universes' problems peacefully and without physical confrontation."

"You realize that'll never happen, right?"

"The Raiders have a chance to make that happen if they try to meet with Hyperion on neutral ground and talk shit out. But no... one half has lived it's whole life pampered and with gold in their pockets while the other half has had to crawl on broken glass their entire life just to survive and everyone is playing king of the hill."

"You're making... no sense."

"Figures a feeble minded young man such as yourself would say that. But Father Grimes agrees with me."

"You mean you agree with him and you're quoting what he said to you?"

"No... my father said these words. I find it my duty to spread his wisdom wherever I can." Michael looks at him with an uneasy glance and Lorik continues to work on his guns, "Damn it, where's Clank with that coil?! It's the only piece I need to finish them!"

"Why didn't you steal two?"

"I bought the first one so I could get inside the Depot and scope it out."

"Smart."

"I know." Lorik leans back in his seat and takes another sip from his beer, "You think the Raiders know that I'm here?"

"How could they? All resistance in Eden Prime has been snuffed out."

* * *

Everyone grunts and throws credits into a large pile in the middle of a large crate. Maya and Lilith do the same while Angel laughs hysterically as she scoops up all the credits towards her.

"How can a nineteen year old be this good at an adult game?!" One of the soldiers scream as he slams his cards onto the crate.

"When I was young, Poker was the only thing my father would play with me. Everything else was too dainty and feminine." Angel laughs as she pours all the credits into her backpack, "Yet a diamond pony wasn't"

"Yeah... I remember that thing. What did he call it?"

"Butt Stallion." Angel sighs as she shuffles the deck of cards.

"That guy was deranged." Lilith sighs as she counts the rest of her credits.

"Almost killed me."

"He technically did, sweetie." Maya says as she ruffles her hair, "I'm gonna get some shut eye."

"Not gonna try and win all your money back?"

"Oh no... I know when I'm beat."

"Good night. And hey... don't let her bankrupt ya'll." Maya walks out of the bay and down a hall.

"So tell me, how are you the only one that can sense the other Sirens?"

"The way the Sirens are found is a conflict of elements. I'm Aether."

"You're what?"

"One of two elements that mankind can't control is Aether; the celestial being of the known universe and the alien race of Eridians."

"With Angel's help we figured out that there can only be four Sirens in the known galaxy because the Eridians wanted it that way." Lilith sighs as she throws her cards onto the crate, "I fold."

"That doesn't really answer my question."

"Eridians touched our genetic code. Sirens are the closest things to an Eridan another human can get. If there were more than four Sirens all hell would break loose. And to answer your question; I can sense all Sirens because I'm connected to the cosmos and Sirens give off a type of... aura." She takes five gold bars and throws them onto the crate, "I raise, five hundred."

"Fold" The soldier sighs as he takes a swig of his beer, "So right now, Lilith is a beacon of light."

"Not really. Each aura is specific to the type of element the Siren can throw. She's more like a consistent heat distortion with an orange hue."

"That's because she can control fire?"

"Yup."

"What about Maya?" A female soldier asks as she throws ten gold bars, "I raise, one thousand."

"She's a purple hue."

"What element is that?"

"Slag, right?"

"No... gravitation." Angel throws down ten gold bars, "I call."

"Can you sense what this new Siren is?" Lilith asks as she calls as well.

"Dark matter."

"What's that?"

"The other element besides mine that mankind can't control. Dark space." Everyone raises an eyebrow and she sighs, "Dark space can't be traveled because it's like a very thick ocean of black goo. The gravity is too dense for anyone to travel without getting crushed. The absence of light; my polar opposite." Everyone looks at Angel and she flicks one of the braids in her bangs, "I raise, five thousand."

"Fold." Everyone sighs.

"So what could this Siren do?"

"Alter gravity like Maya only instead of decreasing it-

"She can increase it." Lilith says as she shuffles the cards, "One last game?"

"What else?" The female soldier asks as she finishes her beer.

"She can blacken a room, probably even distort and control shadows. Maybe... even travel through them?"

"Is that even possible?"

"How do you think I got onto the ship without being seen?" The soldiers cock their heads as Lilith deals the cards.

"Angel can travel through light and even fly."

"Think this new Siren can fly?"

"Probably. But not likely. Like I said... dark space can't be traveled."

* * *

Maya walks into a small room and sits in front of a small desk with a small terminal on it. She turns it on and Roland appears on the screen.

"How'd it go?"

"He actually spoke."

"What?!" Maya cheers as she covers her mouth in surprise, "He spoke normally?"

"He asked where you were as I was giving him his mask."

"Wait... it was after the procedure?"

"Yeah... sadly it didn't last long but now we know where to go for the next surgery. This is a great step, Maya." Maya starts to tear up from joy and Roland laughs, "He'll be the man he once was soon enough."

"Thank you, Roland. I know how much this is costing but... thank you."

"Don't mention it. He's a good soldier right now but when he's back to his senses he'll be an even better soldier." Maya nods and Roland exits the chat. Maya laughs as she undress to her underwear and rolls into bed with hope.

* * *

Roland turns off his monitor and a knock echos through his room. A very large man then walks in and salutes Roland.

"Brick?" Roland says as he salutes back.

"Zero and Salvadore are back. They want to meet with you, immediately!" Brick says as he walks back out. Roland follows him down a hall and they're soon in the epicenter of their compound, a suited, thin man with a helmet on is talking to Gaige while a short but muscular man with a full beard and mohawk is typing on the terminal.

"What's the situation, Salvadore?"

"A bandit convoy is traveling strait for us. Over one hundred men and women." Salvadore says as he brings up a map of their area, "They're coming from the south. They'll be on top of us in days." The entire building then shakes and a few computers explode, killing their occupants, "WHAT THE HELL?!" The emergency siren then goes off and the lights shut off; the red emergency lights giving off a dim glow, "They can't be on us yet!?"

"It's Hyperion!" A soldier yells as he runs out of the control room.

"BATTLE STATIONS!" Roland yells as he cocks his assault rifle and runs out into the courtyard with everyone else. Roland looks up and his eyes widen and he drops his gun in terror as he sees a large space station in the shape of an H, "Oh... my God." The large sphere connecting the two vertical arms starts to glow red and Brick shakes Roland to his sense.

"WE GOTTA MOVE!"

"EVERYONE GET OUT OF HERE! SECONDARY STRONGHOLDS; SPREAD OUT!" Roland commands as he picks up his gun and runs towards the garages, "SCOOTER! READY UP THE SHUTTLES!"

* * *

Lorik glares at a barrel while Michael stands behind him with Clank hovering next to his head. Lorik reaches out his left hand and squints his eyes.

"Are you trying to move the barrel, or are you shitting yourself?" Michael teases as he sips a beer can.

"Shut up!" Lorik yells, "Now I gotta concentrate again!" Lorik stares down the barrel and then closes his eyes. His left arm then feels like its fallen asleep and Michael cheers him on. Lorik opens his eyes and not only is the barrel in the air but so is all of the junk cars and other large and small items are floating a few feet off of the ground, "Holy shit!" Lorik cheers as fist bumps the air. Everything crashes back down onto the ground and the two friends high five each other. Michael is then flung backwards and crashes through one of the windows with a small scream, "HOLY SHIT!" Lorik runs up to him and Michael is groaning, "You okay, bro?"

"That was awesome!" Michael laughs as he slowly stands up, "What else can you do?"

"I dunno?" Lorik laughs as they walk towards the junk maze, "You know... I might be freaking out on the inside but having mind powers is pretty awe-" Lorik feels a strange sensation throughout his entire body and when he looks ahead of himself he's heading straight for one of the junk walls and collides with it face first, "BALLS!" Lorik screams in pain as he crumbles to the ground.

"HOLY SHIT, DUDE! YOU JUST TELEPORTED!" Michael cheers as he slides to Lorik's side, "You okay, man?"

"I think my nose is broken!" Lorik cries as he holds his face.

"Lemme see it." Lorik removes his hands and Michael smirks as he sees blood all over the lower part of his face, "It's just dislocated."

"Take me to Rath. He can-" Michael grabs his nose and pulls it up to put it back in place; making a sickening crack sound. Lorik screeches in pain and surprise and grabs his face again, "SON OF A BITCH!"

"Don't be such a baby." Michael teases as he helps Lorik up, "It's all better now."

"Still hurts like a bitch!" Lorik takes a few short breaths through the nose while Clank hovers over.

Sir, I've done some studying on Sirens and their culture."

"Sirens have a culture?" Michael asks as he hands Lorik a cool can of beer.

"A very dark culture. The oldest texts I could find date back to when books were still a thing."

"Damn! That's fucking old." Michael laughs. Lorik slowly and gently places the cool can on his nose before opening it, "So... what's so dark about it?"

"There use to be more than just four in the whole universe. The texts say that the Eridians stayed longer than the historians originally thought. They stayed and kidnapped multiple children; all female of course, and they trained them in their telekinetic abilities. But that's the only thing that ties Sirens to the Eridians and Eridium."

"But what of their dark past. You just gave us some exposition on their history." Lorik grunts as he sits down next to Michael.

"When the Eridians left the Sirens became outraged. They rampaged throughout the known galaxy and killed nearly everyone to find them."

"Holy shit." Lorik laughs as he takes a sip, "That's a cool theory. But everyone knows the Eridians were the ones to lay wastes to the Universe. And more than four Sirens? It's one thing for me-a man-to be a siren but for there to be hundreds of Sirens at one point in time? That's impossible!"

"All I know is that the Historians say that when the Sirens were rampaging the Eridians arrived and chose only four to spare. And in the ashes of the Siren's destruction the Eridians wrote in the remaining Humans genetic code so that when one Siren dies her code was transferred into a new infant." Clank hovers over to Lorik and stares him down, "Their marks are their genetic code." Lorik and Michael laugh and Clank's orb begins to spin and his eye gets bigger, "Please... remove your shirt."

"What are you planning to do?" Michael asks as Lorik takes off his shirt.

"I'm gonna scan the markings. When a Siren's markings surface they share a genetic code with the same Siren that came before them."

"So... in a sense I'm related to the Siren that came before me?"

"Probably, but then again there's never been a male Siren before now." Michael stands up and walks over to a large, wooden table, "Can I shoot one of them now?" He asks as he picks up Ivory, "They've got some weight to 'em." He flicks a switch and a light starts to slowly charge up, "How do you change the compounds and fire rate?"

"Voice recognition. What tickles your fancy?" Lorik asks as he stretches out his arms in a Christ pose. Clank then begins to scan Lorik's body as the light completes it's charge and the gun makes a faint sound like steam is escaping a pipe.

"Lets see." Michael looks at the gun in contemplation and then smiles, "Fire, single-shot"

"Ivory. Fire compound; single-fire mode." The light turns red and the magazine begins to spin hurriedly, "Be careful when firing. They'll have a lot of kick."

"I'm pretty sure I can handle shooting a gun dude." Michael aims at a row of cans on a junk car. He pulls the trigger and a bullet flies out and when it hits the can it knocks it into the air, setting in on fire. The gun then recoils and smacks Michael right between the eyes, "SON OF A BITCH!" Michael winces as he drops the gun on the table and falls to his knees, writhing in pain. He clutches his face as Lorik and Clank both laugh at him.

"Told ya." Lorik chuckles as Clank finishes his scan. Lorik puts his shirt back on and walks over to the table. He picks up Ivory and aims down the sight, "Ivory. Acid compound, semi-automatic mode." Michael slowly stands up as the light on Ivory turns green and the magazine starts to spin again, "Watch and learn, noob."

"Fuck you, man." Lorik pulls the trigger and four bullets come out rapidly, hitting a can and melting it. He then shoots three more in quick succession and smirks at Michael, "Beginners luck."

" _Beginners luck_?! I built these babies! Of course I'm gonna know how to handle them." Lorik flicks the switch and the lightly slowly turns off. The gun gives off a faint sound like a computer powering down and he gently places it on the table.

"I have some disturbing news." Clank says as Lorik leans against the table and hands Michael another can of beer, "Your markings are no where in the database."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Michael grunts as he places the cool can on his face, "Oh... that's great." He moans as the coolness calms his pain.

"You don't share any genetic code with any of the other recorded Sirens throughout history."

"So?"

"So... according to the records you're not a Siren."

"Oh gee, thanks Clank. And here I thought these markings were a rare form of skin cancer." Lorik sighs as he finishes his beer, "They're... not, right?"

"No... but you're not a Siren, but at the same time you are." Lorik and Michael look at Clank like he's crazy and he hovers in front of Lorik's face, "If there really is a cycle and the Historians got it wrong... you're a fifth Siren." A large ship then flies over Lorik's shop, causing everything to shake.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Michael exclaims as he shoots from his seat, "Are they allowed to fly that low?!"

"No... never that low." They both run out but Clank headbutts Lorik in the back, "OW! What the hell man?!"

"Goggles and jacket, Lorik. Can't let the Corporation see your markings." Lorik grabs a pair of welder's goggles and a thick windbreaker jacket, "Just tell me next time." They all run out the front door and the large ship hovers over the spaceport, "There's no Hyperion markings on it, no Merchant's Guild or Gun Manufacture markings as well." Michael says as the ships stabilizers kick up the dust. Everyone starts to come out and Father Grimes can be seen out of the corner of Lorik's eye.

"My son, you must start packing, immediately!"

"Father? Wait, why?" Father Grimes grabs both of their arms and rushes them inside.

"Pirates!" He locks the door behind him and runs towards the backyard, "I'll get your visor!" Michael and Lorik run upstairs and start packing clothes.

"Clank, get my guns and their belts!" Clank hurries downstairs and Father Grimes comes back up with the strange visor and chip.

"Clank?!"

"Right here!" He yells as Ivory and Ebony are holstered and hanging off of his orb. Lorik takes the belts and straps them around his waist. He then grabs Clank's orb and disconnects the chip from the visor, "What are you doing?"

"Hold still!" Lorik connects the chip to the back of Clank's orb and it immediately goes dead.

"HOLY CRAP, YOU KILLED HIM!" Michael cries as he grabs his head in fear, "What. The. FUCK MAN?!"

"Relax, he's being integrated into my systems. I thought we went over this?" Bullets start to crack through the air and cries from the outside start to seep through the walls. Lorik and Michael hit the ground as a bullet flies through the room, "JESUS CHRIST!"

"PIRATES!" A woman yells from the outside and then screams in pain as another crack from a bullet sounds off.

"Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy-" Father Grimes slaps Michael across the face and he looks at him in surprise as he pulls out a shotgun from under his cloak, "HOLY SHIT!"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT, FATHER?!"

"Sometimes God demands wolves to protect his flock of sheep!" He breaks the nearest window open and instantly shoots a man down. He looks behind himself and doesn't see Lorik, "Where's Lorik?!" Michael looks around and shrugs.

Lorik opens his door and starts waving down the other town's folk.

"GET INSIDE! HURRY!" People start to run into his house along with a few men carrying weapons, "HURRY!" A bullet flies right past his head and his eyes widen as hundreds of Pirates start pouring out of the Spaceport. The last people get inside and he shuts it behind him.

"LORIK! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?" Father Grimes asks as his daughter hugs him, "LUCY?! I thought you were with your mother on Eden-One?!"

"I came by to visit. Obviously a terrible time to do so!"

"What do we do?!" A woman cries as she holds her child close. Lorik runs up and grabs his visor. He slips it on and the red lights turn on and everything starts to get scanned in the room. He then takes the chip out of Clank's orb and slides it into the back part of the visor. The visor clicks and a small orb appears in the bottom left corner of Lorik's vision.

"Clank, you there?"

"I feel funny." He sighs as code starts to run, "Why can't I move?"

"You're in a new platform. I need you to activate the Safe House Protocol. We got fucking pirates!"

"Which file is that?"

"File zero-zero-two-three-seven!"

"Activating file!" All the lights turn off and emergency red lights turn on and steel barricades roll over every window. People start crying out as Lorik walks back downstairs, "Relax! This is a safety protocol, people!" Lorik says as he walks up to Father Grimes, "How did they get past Hyperion Security? It's supposed to be top-notch!?"

"My guess is the same way they killed every Hyperion Soldier out there." Father Grimes sighs as he slides the spying port closed, "We're gonna have to contact Eden-One." He sighs as he walks over to the terminal behind the front desk. Michael walks up to Lorik and gives him a heavy sigh.

"What the fuck is going on, man?!" Lorik shrugs but then he screams as he holds his head, "DUDE?! WHAT HAPPENED? ARE YOU SHOT?!"

"MY HOVER-BOARD IS STILL IN THE SHACK!" Lorik runs for the back door but Father Grimes grabs him by the waist.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"MY HOVER-BOARD!" Lorik cries as he tries to break out of Father Grimes' grasp, "It's still out there! I have to get it before the Pirates do!"

"You are not going out there! It's too dangerous!" Tears start to roll down Lorik's cheeks and Father Grimes recoils.

"My mother, father and I have been working on that thing ever since I was eight years old!" Lorik looks Father Grimes in the eye, his eyes red from crying, "It's the only thing I have left of them." Father Grimes sighs as he cocks his shotgun.

"You're not going out there alone. Taylor! Hand out your weapons and look out for everyone while I'm gone."

"You're leaving father?!" A tall man with long blonde hair asks with wide eyes.

"Only for a second, son." Lorik walks to the back door and stares at it, "You sure about this?" Lorik takes out his guns with a smirk as he flips the switches and the lights slowly charge up.

"Ebony. Ivory. Acid compound, rapid-fire mode." The guns click and spin and Father Grimes aims his shotgun at the door, "Clank, remove the shield from the rear door."

"Removing." A loud thud echos faintly through the back room and Father Grimes slowly opens it.

"Damn it. It's pitch black out. I can't see a damn thing!"

"Language, young man." Lorik rolls his eyes and adjusts his visor.

"Clank, switch to thermal optics."

"We have that?"

"You have that?" Lorik rolls his eyes again with a sigh.

"Access file zero-zero-one-nine-eight."

"Oh! Got it!" The visor clicks and Lorik's vision changes.

"No heat signatures." They both slowly walk out and Father Grimes sticks his head back into the house.

"If we're not back in five minutes... don't bother opening this door again." Taylor nods and locks the door behind them, "No going back now."

"Why'd you give us a time limit?"

"Seemed like the right thing to do."

"You've been watching too many action movies." Bullets fly through the air and a woman screams in the distance, "What the fuck do we do about the terminal? You know I haven't been able to fix that thing ever since I stole—got it as a gift." A loud thud emanates from Lorik's junk maze and They both aim their weapons at it.

"Anything?" Father Grimes whispers as they both lower themselves.

"Two signatures. My traps must have been deactivated when I shut the power down." Lorik grunts as he curses himself, "They're going in the wrong direction and the heat's pretty small so we should be able to sneak past them. Just follow my lead and follow my footsteps."

"I thought you said your traps were disabled?"

"Just to be on the safe side." They both enter the maze and Father Grimes keeps his shotgun ready.

"I can't believe I'm actually allowing this. Its just a hover-board."

"One that got me into technology, robotics and guns. It's the only thing of my family that I have." They turn a corner and Lorik sighs in relief, "Still intact."

"So how are we supposed to get in? I thought I was the key?" Clank asks.

"You still are." The door then opens and Lorik laughs,

"This is so cool, Lorik. Thank you." Clank laughs as they walk in.

"Ebony. Flashlight." Ebony turns it's flashlight on along with Father Grimes turning on his shotgun's under barrel flashlight. Lorik releases another sigh as he picks up his hover-board, "Hello, beautiful." He straps it to his back and another bang echos through the shack.

"That one sounded closer."

"This is some maze man."

"Tell me about it. It even got you lost!" Two men laugh as they turn a corner and see the shack, "Well hello there."

"Wouldn't be in the middle of a maze if there wasn't anything worth taking."

"Grab my tools!" Lorik whispers and he throws Father Grimes a large backpack.

"We're cutting it short, Lorik!" He yells under his breath as he starts to throw Lorik's tools into the bag, Lorik doing the same with another bag.

"You hear that man?"

"Hurry!" Father Grimes zips up the bag and throws it over his shoulder. Lorik throws in his last tool and zips up the bag.

"HEY!" One of the pirates yells as they both aim their guns at them, "Throw the bags, and the guns!" Lorik looks at Father Grimes and then smirks.

"You sure you want to point a gun at a Siren?" Lorik laughs as he removes his jacket and shows off his left arm.

"You're lying." One of them laughs along with the other, "A boy? A Siren?" Lorik extends his left arm and the man who started laughing gets pierced by a dark, black and purple glowing stalagmite."

"JESUS CHRIST!" All three yell as the pirate gags on his own blood. Father Grimes shoots the second one and the stalagmite retreats back into the darkness.

"HOLY HELL!" Lorik cries as Father Grimes grabs his arm and they both run out of the maze and back to the house. Father Grimes bangs on the door and people start to cry.

"It's Father Grimes and Lorik! Let us in!" The doors open and they both rush in.

"Clank! Put down the shield!"

"Already done!" Father Grimes puts the backpack down next to Lorik who is now sitting down with a worried look on his face.

"How many people with guns do we have, Taylor?"

"Ten people."

"Put five upstairs on watch and five down her to protect the people. Keep the lights off and only check the ports if you absolutely have to." Taylor nods and gathers the other men with guns while Father Grimes looks at Lorik and knees down in front of him, "Are you okay, my son?"

"I thought... I was just gonna push him. I-I didn't mean to-" Lorik starts to tear up and he runs both of his hands through his hair and starts to shake. Father Grimes puts his hand on his knee and shakes it lightly.

"You saved both our lives, Lorik. Pushing him or killing him was the right thing. They would've killed us or worse. You gotta get use to this before you reach Pandora."

"You taught me... you taught everyone here that all life is sacred in the eyes of God. I can't value my life over some pirate! They both probably had a family, kids! How is their life less than mine?"

"They're not. But when the adversary rears his unholy head in front of God's born-again children... we must act to preserve God's faith and love in the few remaining who chose to believe and have faith." He looks up at the clock and smiles, "Now if you excuse me... It's Sunday morning and I must gather the town for church." He straightens his clothes and straps his shotgun over his shoulder. Michael sits down next to Lorik and hands him a beer.

"Thank God we stocked-piled these. See you got your board."

"I killed a man." Lorik takes off his visor but keeps the earbuds in his ears, "How are we on power, Clank?"

"We're still at one hundred percent but it'll only last about three to four days."

"I brought all of my tools. With all the other equipment in the building... what are our chances of repairing the terminal to shoot out a distress signal to Eden-One?"

"We have a forty-seven percent chance of succeeding but if we turn on the power and turn off the emergency system we'll have an eighty-two percent chance of repairing it."

"You've gotta be kidding me."

"Whoa... you killed a man?!" Michael gasps as he chokes on his beer, "What the hell happened?"

"Two pirates cornered Father Grimes and I and I used my crazy Siren shit and accidentally killed him." Lorik shrugs as he rubs his forehead, "How long would the power need to be on for it to work?"

"Only five to ten minutes."

"Can we wait off on the power until the last possible second?"

"Not if you want to use both manual and power tools. Use just manual tools, you risk damaging the wiring or electronics."

"You can't just shrug that comment off, man. Talk to me... how do you feel?"

"Like shit, and I'm trying to think of some way to repair our terminal without the pirates finding out... so shush!" Bullets start to ricochet off the building and people start screaming.

"THEY KNOW WE'RE HEAR!"

"EVERYBODY DOWN!" Father Grimes orders as he cocks his shotgun, "Today's lesson in the word of God?" An explosion shakes the house and people keep their eyes on Father Grimes, "Corinthians, chapter five; versus six through eight!" He slides open a spy port on a near by window and starts shooting, " _So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we're away from the Lord!_ " Another explosion causes him to take cover and people start to cling to their loved ones. Lorik stands up and cocks his guns.

" _For we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord._ " Lorik finishes as he joins Father Grimes and opens a spy port on the window next to his, "Ebony. Ivory. Fire compound, full-automatic mode!" He then sticks the barrels through the port and starts firing.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 03

Maya stretches out her arms as she lazily walks down the hall to the loading bay. When she turns a corner and enters the bay she sees Lilith and four other soldiers knocked out in various random spots; countless alcoholic bottles and cans littering the floor. She smirks as Lilith snorts in her sleep and falls off the crate she was sleeping on, creating a loud, echoing sound of bottles and cans skittering across the floor. Lilith then shoots her head up and looks around.

"I'm up!" She groans as she grips her head, "Dear god I shouldn't have challenged Torres to a drink off. My head is killing me."

"That's your body saying you're a lightweight, Lil." Maya sees Angel sitting on a crate, playing with her hands. Maya walks up to her and places a hand on her shoulder, "You okay, sweetie?"

"I got a bad feeling in my stomach... what if she doesn't want to come with us?"

"Than that's her choice, Angel. We just have to try our best and tell her the circumstances. If she decides to stay where she is, that's her choice."

"We can't, like... force her to come with us?"

"No."

"I just want someone new to chat with. No offense but everyone back home I know like the back of my hand. It's boring."

"No offense taken, sweetheart." Lilith groans as she kicks the other soldiers awake, "Get up and suit up. We're an hour out from Eve." Maya rubs Angel's back and gives her a warm smile.

"Let's just get this done and see what happens."

"And what happens, happens." Lilith sighs as she cocks her gun. The sound makes her recoil and grab her head in pain, "Just no shooting."

"Agreed." The soldiers groan as they slowly form up.

More soldiers file into the loading bay and form two, single file lines. Lilith, Angel and Maya standing in front of them. The lights shut off and red emergency lights flicker on as the cabin starts to shake furiously.

"Which town should we hit first?" The pilot asks over the intercom. Lilith takes out a small headset that wraps around her ear and puts it on. She turns it on and taps it to make sure it works.

"We're going to the one with the spaceport first, Port Garden I think it's called?"

"What type of name is that?" Angel laughs as she slips on a long-sleeved jacket and puts the hood on, completely concealing her face. The cabin jerks to the left and a faint explosion is heard from the outside.

"What the hell was that?" Lilith asks as she steadies herself.

"We're getting flak! Pirates have overrun the entire town. Once I get low enough they won't be able to hit us!"

"Oh god, what if she's down there?"

"We're seeing return fire from a large property in the north side of town. Looks like some survivors dug themselves deep. Building integrity looks shaky though. Don't know how long it has left before it collapses though. We have to hurry if we have any chance of saving the survivors." The female co-pilot says as the ship goes nearly into a nosedive, "We're doing a dive bomb! Be ready!" Maya's markings start to glow as the emergency lights switch from red to green and the bay doors start to open.

"We'll land a few klicks east of the town! Radio us in when you're ready for the pickup!" The bay doors are fully open and the ship jerks upwards and is completely vertical. Everyone jumps out and with Maya's help they land softly in town square, behind all the pirates.

"Let's get busy!" Angel cheers as she cocks her gun and charges the pirates with the other soldiers.

The bombardments and hail of bullets are endless now. Michael is shooting Ebony and Ivory with Father Grimes shooting his shotgun right next to him. All the woman and children are huddled behind the front desk while Lorik is under the terminal trying to fix it.

"Clank, status on the shields?!" Lorik cringes as he works furiously on the inner satellite.

"Entire integrity is down to forty percent! We take anymore damage and it might cut off the power all together!"

"Fuck it! Switch the power on but keep the shields down!" Lorik grabs his power tools as the lights slowly come back on.

"If we keep the shields down it'll drain the generators faster, Lorik! We have to hurry!"

"TELL ME SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW!" Lorik lies back down on his back and starts working.

"If we make it out of here alive I'm gonna dedicate my life to church!" Michael cries as he guns down three pirates.

"Don't go making commitments like that, child! Let's just get through another day!" An explosion causes the building to shake and Lorik cries out, "LORIK?!"

"The fiber-chip is broken! DAMNED PIRATES MADE MY HAND SHAKE!" Lorik cries as he holds it up, "It's no use, we're stuck here!"

"What the hell are we going to do now? I'm almost outta bullets!" Taylor yells as he reloads.

"What about a radio? We can jerry-rig it to pick up frequencies of the other towns nearby. Ask them to send help?!" Michael asks as sits down, Father Grimes taking his place.

"Clank, do we have what we need to do that?"

"It'll mean completely stripping the terminal for parts but it could work. We'll just need the ham radio to work off of the platform."

"Ah shit!" Lorik yells as he kicks the terminal.

"What now?!" Father Grimes asks as he loads his shotgun with the last remaining bullets.

"We need the ham radio!"

"So get it!" Another man yells as he shoots down a pirate, "Take that you bitches!"

"The radio is in the shack!" An explosion causes the ground to shake and pirates cry out in pain, "At least the traps are working again!"

"I see another ship!" Taylor yells as he peers through the port.

"More pirates?!" Lorik yells as he grabs his guns from Michael.

"Too small, maybe it's Hyperion?" Michael peers through a small bullet holes and sees a ship diving down in the middle of town.

"No markings, maybe it's from another town looking for us?" It then does an impossible maneuver and people poor out of the bay, "Oh shit, It's the Crimson Raiders!"

"God damn it! As if we have enough trouble as it is!" Father grimes yells as he shoots a pirate charging the front door. Lorik and Michael glare at him and he shrugs, "Now's not the time, boys! We need to get the radio!" Something warm then splatters onto the side of Father Grimes' face and Lorik looks like he's seen a ghost. Father Grimes turns around and sees Taylor crumble to the ground with a bullet hole through his eye, "OH GOD, NO! TAYLOR!" He runs to his side and starts to shake him, "NO, NO, NO!" A woman starts to cry as she blocks her child's view. Lorik's eyes widen and his blood starts to boil.

"YOU BASTARDS!" Lorik jumps through the window, completely shattering the frame and breaking the shield off of it's hinges. A black and purple hue starts to swirl around Lorik as he hovers to the ground. Purple like steam starts to wisp in and around his eyes like fire and his markings start to glow under his windbreaker, "I'LL KILL YOU ALL!" He aims his guns at the large crowd of pirates and opens fire.

The pirates scream in fear as the Siren before them kills their comrades. His shadow swirls around him as the purple mist starts to intensify around his eyes and now is coming out of his mouth like smoke.

"FALL BACK! ITS A GOD DAMN SIREN!" Lorik holsters his guns and extends both his arms. His shadow swirls round his arms like a furious cyclone and purple electricity crackles in and around them.

"DIE!" The cyclones shoot out at them and swallow the front lines. The electricity strikes them and sends them falling back with a scream right before they evaporate into ash.

* * *

Maya and Lilith start shooting the retreating pirates as Angel joins a squad of soldiers flanking around the left side. Lilith extends her left arm and fire shoots out. Maya does the same only a handful of pirates are encased in a transparent, blue orb and the other soldiers shoot them down.

"What the hell is that?!" Lilith yells as black and purple clouds slowly encase another handful of soldiers, purple lightning electrocuting them to death.

"It's the other Siren!" Maya cheers as she runs ahead with the other soldiers. Angel and her squad start shooting the rest of the pirates.

Lorik retreats back into his house, the black and purple mist still swirling around him. Everyone recoils and starts to back up as he climbs through the window.

"It's alright... I'm calm. I'm calm." He starts to repeat it as the mist slowly dissipates and he's back to his normal self, "The Raiders are killing the rest of the pirates. We have a chance to escape!"

"How?" Father Grimes asks as he puts a white sheet over Taylor's corpse.

"Michael, is your car still working?"

"Yeah?"

"We'll use that!"

"I don't know man. I haven't driven that thing in months and I need a co-pilot for it.

"That'll be me." Lorik sighs as he helps people up, "We're moving out!" Father Grimes picks up Taylor's assault rifle and calls up to the men upstairs. Everyone gathers around the back door as the gunfire starts to dial down.

"My garage is still open. And if the pirates didn't touch it; it should only take a minute or two to start it up." Lorik nods as he kicks open the door ad everyone files out, "Follow me and stay low!" Michael yells as he cocks Father Grimes' shotgun and leads the people through the junk maze and out on the other end that leads into an endless desert.

"Hug the walls and we'll be there in a couple minutes!" Father Grimes orders as he walks backwards; covering everyone's flank with Lorik, "You sure this'll work?"

"I'm might be a prodigy in electronics and robotics but when it comes to vehicles; both land and space traversing, he's the prodigy."

"You two use that term much to often."

"Because it's the truth."

"You know... a real prodigy wouldn't brag about it."

"And a real prodigy would rub it in everyone's face because he's smarter than them in something."

"So in your world, all smart people are egotistical, narcissistic jerks?"

"Exactly."

* * *

Lilith shoots the last pirate in the head and sighs as she flicks the safety on her gun and wraps it around her shoulder. Maya walks up to the destroyed house and peers into the window. The other soldiers start gathering the dead bodies and piling them up. Angel joins Maya and kicks open the door.

"Nobody's home. Where they hell are they?"

"The back door is open. Maybe they escaped through the back. They then hear a loud bang and faint conversations, "You hear that?" They both walk into the middle of town and see movement in a nearby building, "Down here!" Maya yells as she aims her gun at the house.

"Come on, man! Fire her up!"

"The engines have to warm up!"

"Well do it faster!" Maya points at the door and Angel nods as she slowly walks up to it. She grips the handle and looks at Maya while Lilith and the other soldiers block the the entire front face of the garage. Maya starts counting down silently and Angel readies her gun. Maya nods and Angel opens the door and they both run in. They see a makeshift convoy loader holding two dozen people and an old man with a strange cross aiming his gun at them.

"WE GOTTA GO!" The old man yells as he starts firing at the two woman. Maya and Angel take cover behind two metal podiums and the other soldiers start providing cover fire.

"HIT IT!" A young man wearing a strange visor yells as he hops into the passenger seat. Angel gets a good look at him and he has a purple aura around him.

"That's... that's impossible!" She gasps as a bullet ricochets off the podium; almost hitting her in the head. The engines burst to life and knock both Maya and Angel on their knees as it bursts through the back double doors and flies away.

"SHIT!" Lilith yells as she starts to throw fire balls at it.

"NO! STOP!" Angel yells as she lowers her arm.

"The pirates are getting away!"

"Their the towns people and the Siren is with them!"

"SHIT" Lilith yells as she stomps her foot on the ground, "We have to catch up to her!" She turns her back and walks out as she contacts the pilots.

"What's wrong, Angel?"

"I saw the Sirens aura but-"

"But what?"

"It was coming from that man that jumped in the co-pilot seat." Maya laughs and Angel raises an eyebrow at her.

"You've gotta be kidding me, right? No way a man can be a _Siren_!" She looks at Angel's face and her laughter is cut short, "Wait... you're serious, aren't you?" Angel nods and Maya scratches her head, "The fuck? How's that possible?!"

"Our ride is here." Maya and Angel join their comrades and pile into the cargo bay, "Chase after that convoy rider!" Without closing the doors the ship takes off and chases after the land ship.

* * *

Lorik flicks a couple of switches and takes the joystick while Michael unbuckles himself and walks to a platform and steps on a pedal. A large, triple-barreled gun rises from the porthole and Michael taps a very muscular, shaved man.

"Lucas! Take the flak gun!" The man turns around and stares in awe.

"Where the hell did you get it?!"

"The Hyperion cat burglar known as Lorik." Michael rolls his eyes as the man climbs onto the gun.

"We got company!" Father Grimes yells as he loads the last magazine into the assault rifle. Michael runs back to the pilot seat and pushes a button to load the flak gun.

"Their tailing us." Lorik flicks a few more switches and puts his foot on a pedal.

"Ready to see how fast she can really go?"

"What did you do?! The stick is shaking like crazy!"

"I opened all exhaust ports and put the engine to overdrive!" Lorik laughs as a hologram of Clank's orb body appears between them.

"All systems are a go, captain!" Clank laughs as Michael jumps in surprise.

"You got that working too?!"

"What can I say? I'm that good!" Lorik presses the big red button and they are flung back into their seats. Michael and Lorik cheer and laugh as their ride kicks up dust and blasts away.

* * *

"HOLY SHIT! That thing is fast!" The pilot yells as the ship picks up speed.

"Can you catch up to it?"

"We're an interstellar ship inside a moon's atmosphere! We can circle around this entire moon in two hours! She laughs as Angel looks down on the ship. Flak then starts to shake the cabin and Angel almost falls out of the bay before Maya grabs her belt.

"WHY THE HELL ARE THEY SHOOTING AT US?!"

"Probably think we're more pirates!" Maya yells over the wind as she pulls Angel back in with a soldiers help.

"How do we tell them we're the good guys?" Lilith asks as she stares down at them, "WE'RE THE GOOD GUYS, ASSHOLES!" Angel then jumps down towards the ship. Maya and Lilith scream out in horror as they try to grab her arm.

Angel then extends her wings and flies down towards the ship. Lorik looks in his side-view mirror and sees a woman flying at them.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!"

"What?"

"Is she flying?!" Michael looks in his rear-view mirror and his jaw drops.

"She's a Siren!"

"The hell? Sirens have wings?"

"Apparently!" They both slam down on the pedal and gain even more speed. Angel blocks her face as the dust starts to hurt her fair skin.

"Slow down! We're the good guys!" Lorik holds up his middle finger out the window and laughs.

"Up yours, bitch!"

"OH SHIT!" Michael yells as he slams down on the brakes. Lorik looks ahead of himself and sees a large rock formation hurdling towards him.

"OH SHIT!" The both yell as they make an immediate right turn. The whole ship begins to shake and then collides with the rock, causing it to spin out. They both yell as they've lost control and they reach out to hold each other.

"I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!" The ship's engines give out and people start to scream as the ship collides with the ground and spins in the air.

"Oh shit!" Angel cries out as she dodges debris being torn off of the ship. Michael and Lorik cling to each other like their lives depend on it while they spin out and collide with another rock, stopping them cold, "OH GOD, NO!" Angel flies towards the wreck while the the ship lands a few feet next to the crash. Angel lands on the ground and her wings dissipate as she runs towards the back part of the ship, "Is everyone okay?!" She tries to open the door while the others run to join her.

Michael and Lorik groan in pain as their hugging each other close like lovers. Their both laying in the roof of the cabin, their seat belts torn and dangling in front of their faces.

"I knew... we forgot something." Michael groans as he looks Lorik in the eyes, "We forgot to reinforce the locking mechanism in the seat belts."

"If my body wasn't completely broken I'd hit you." Lorik groans as he looks back into Michael's eyes. They then realize what they're doing and push each other away, "Nobody knows."

"Agreed." They start to hear faint noises as banging begins around their cabin. Lorik crawls over to the gun and slaps Lucas' cheek.

"You okay, dude?"

"Yeah... next time I drive." Lorik rolls his eyes as he crawls over to the double doors and kicks them open. He then slowly stands up and walks through the cargo hold and looks at everyone, "Everyone alive?" They all groan and Father Grimes waves his hand to signal that he's okay, "Good, cause we got another fight in our hands." Lorik takes out his guns and flips them on as the talking outside gets louder.

"Pry them open! We gotta get them out before this thing goes up in flames!"

"I'm seeing any fuel though!"

"DO IT ANYWAY!"

"Lorik, you gotta get outta here, man. Get to the next town, Salvation. Get help. We'll hold them off here." Michael groans as he Lucas hands him a pistol.

"I'm not leaving you guys!"

"You're the only one with a hover-board! Get outta here and go get help!" Michael starts to kick the passenger side door, "This isn't a discussion!" He kicks the door open and starts to push Lorik out, "GO!" Lorik stumbles out and two soldiers point their guns at him.

"FREEZE!"

"Clank, you ready?" Lorik whispers as he slowly stands up.

"Put your hands h=behind her head!" One of them demands as she slowly walks up to him. Lorik reaches for his board and throws it at them, knocking them out. The engines then kick in and Lorik jumps onto it.

"OVER HEAR!" Angel yells as she takes out her gun, "Freeze!" Her eyes widen as she sees the torn sleeve and stares at the markings, "Oh... my God."

"HIT IT!" The engines kick up dirt and Lorik flies right past her, spinning her and knocking her down onto her back.

"SON OF A BITCH!"

"FREEZE!" Maya yells as she holds up her arm to hold him still with a gravity orb. Lorik bursts right through it and makes a left turn and flies past their ship.

"SUCK IT!" He yells as he hovers away from them at high speeds.

"AFTER HIM!" Angel yells as her wings reappear, "He's the Siren!" Lilith contorts her face at Angle like she's crazy, "I'm Serious!" Angel flies after him and Maya shrugs as she creates a small, bright blue platform and jumps onto it, following Angel.

"Get everyone out and tend to their wounds! Their not pirates! Treat them well." Lilith's wings unfold and they scorch the earth under her as the flames intensify and she flies after them.

"Get them outta there and get the medical kits!"

"Yes sir!" The soldiers start helping the people out as the Sirens chase after Lorik.

"Get off of me!" Michael yells as he starts to kick and punch the soldiers, "You'll never take me alive, Raider Dogs!"

* * *

Lorik flies across the desert with a laugh as readings and stats start to appear in his visor. He looks around and sees a reading of another town five kilometers due east. Another orb appears next to him and he dodges it with a gasp. He looks behind himself and through the dust he sees three heat signatures.

"SIRENS!" Clank panics as the thrusters give off more energy and Lorik gains speed, "What do we do?!"

"We get to the next town before they catch us!" Another orb appears in front of him and he breaks through it, "SON OF A BITCH!"

"How is he doing that?!" Maya yells as she throws another, "HOW?!"

"WILL YOU STOP IT!?" Lorik takes out Ebony and shoots off a bullet. It flies right by Maya's face and she almost falls off her gravity disc.

"WHAT THE HELL, MAN?!" Angel picks up speed and reaches out her arm to grab him by the back part of his coat that's whipping in the wind.

"We're not gonna hurt you!"

"GET AWAY!" Lorik closes his eyes and he vanishes from Angel's view. Her eyes widen in awe as he reappears a few meters away from them and is gaining more speed, "HOLY—it worked!"

"And we didn't die!" Clank cheers as his orb appears in his visor's view, "How do we shake them?"

"Just keep dodging them and by the time we reach Salvation they'll be detained and I can go help everybody else!" A fire ball flies over his hand and lands in front of him. He jumps over the scorching crater with a surprised scream, "BULLSHIT, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HURT ME!" Lorik teleports again and he can hear one of the Sirens roar in anger and another fireball lands next to him, "STOP IT!" He gains more speed and the town is in sight, There it is!"

"We made it!" Clank cheers as Lorik flies through the town gate.

"HELP! I'm being chased by-" A gun but stops him mid sentence and he lands on his back with a gasp of air. The engines on his hover-board cut off but are still attached his his feet as three men aim their guns at him, "N-no." Lorik gasps as he can hear the Sirens getting the same treatment he did.

"Looks like our boys failed in Port Garden." One of them laughs as he hits Lorik in the face again with his butt, knocking him out, "Get these four in the holding cell! We got what we came for!"

"Let go!" Maya growls as she's being handcuffed. She swings her head back and nails one of the men in the nose. He holds his nose in pain as she starts to run away but is then shot in the knee and she falls to the ground with a scream.

"MAYA!" Angel cries out as she tries to run towards her but the man who got nailed in the nose hits her in the gut with his gun and she falls to her knees, gasping for air.

"HEY! SHE'S JUST A KID YOU PRICK!" Lilith yells as she spits blood in his face, "FUCK YOU!  
The same man knocks her out with the butt of his gun and she crumbles to the floor.

"Get them into the holding cell, NOW!" The man orders as he stands over Lorik's body with a smirk, they seem to hate each other."

"What makes you say that, boss?" The man with the broken nose asks as he looks at the tattooed man.

"Those three were chasing him. Throw them in the same cell together. Could be some good entertainment." Two pirates pick up Lorik and carry him away to their ship.

* * *

A young boy is running through an open field holding a small orb that's glowing blue. He runs into a house where a man is tinkering with a propulsion unit while a woman is putting another one onto a steel board.

"Mommy! Daddy, look what I made!" The kid shows them the orb and it hovers down to the table, hovering only a few inches off of it.

"Wow Lori! What is it?" His mother asks as she takes off her welding goggles.

"Greetings. I am Calibrated-Lexicon-Atrifical-Neural-Klank. You may call me... Clank"

"A V.I.? Oh my god sweetie! How did you do this?"

"I stole a V.I. Chip from the Hyperion Depot a few weeks ago and built it a platform."

"That's my boy!" The man laughs as he ruffles their son's hair, "What are you gonna program it to do?"

"Well when we're done with the hover-board I'll take the schematics from the propulsion units and make smaller versions and integrate them into another, much larger platform for him to be able to roam around in. And then I'll unchain him and turn him into an A.I."

"Our boy is getting smarter than us, Kreg." The woman laughs as she kisses his head. The lights then dim and everything gets dark.

"Is there an eclipse today, Lori?" Kreg asks as he looks out the window, "Lori, get Lorik into the shelter, now!" He yells as he grabs his shotgun and cocks it. Lori grabs Lorik and the sirens start to go off. Lorik looks up into the sky and sees a large H hovering in front of the sun.

"Mommy?" Lorik cries as she picks him up. The red orb in the middle starts to glow red and everyone is running past them, screaming, "Mommy?!"

* * *

Lorik sits up with a scream and starts gasping for air. He looks around and sees his hover-board is still attached to his feet. He feels his face and sighs in relief as he feels his visor around his neck. He takes a deep breath and looks around.

"Clank, you still there?"

"Of course, Lorik. I was worried you would never wake up."

"Who the hell are you talking to?" Lorik turns around and sees three woman severely beaten and one of them looking at Lorik with worried eyes, "Are you okay-?" Lorik punches her in the face and she falls back and screams in pain.

"HOLY HELL MAN! WHAT THE FUCK?!" Maya screams as she runs over to Angel's side.

"What the fuck to you! You kidnapped me?!"

"We didn't kidnap you, dumb ass! The pirates did!" Lilith screams as she grabs Angel's nose, "Hold still, sweetie." She pulls on her nose and a sickening pop faintly echos through the cell.

"GAH—SON OF A BITCH!" Angel cries as she holds her nose, 'What the fuck man? Them beating me wasn't enough for you?!"

"You chased me across the desert! You fired fireballs and blue, freakish orbs at me!"

"We tried to stop you!" Maya yells as she jabs her finger into his chest.

"I was just trying to burn you so you knew we were serious." They all stare at Lilith and she shrugs, "Little punk was getting on my nerves." Lorik reaches for his gun but his holsters are empty.

"Oh god... Ebony and Ivory! Where are they?!"

"The captain took them." Lorik starts to hyperventilate and they all look at him with raised eyebrows, "You okay, dude?"

"They took my guns! It took me three years to build those things!" Lorik puts his hover-board on his back and starts to bang on the cell walls, "GIVE ME BACK MY GUNS YOU DIRTY PIRATES!" One of the guards jabs him with a long spear and it shocks him fiercely. Lorik convulses on the floor and Angel drags him away and the guards laugh.

"Shut up and be quiet." Angel sits Lorik up and stares at them.

"Do you have any idea who we are?"

"Three Sirens and a brat. The Crimson Raiders."

"That's right!" Angel holds up her arm but is then shocked. She screams out in pain and Maya holds her steady.

"Nice try, bitch. Those collars will keep the three of you in check." Lorik slowly opens his eyes and grasps his stomach in pain.

"Son of a bitch shocked me!" Lorik gasps as he slowly stands up, "What do you guys want?"

"The Raiders will pay us handsomely for four hostages of their comrades. And if they don't the slave trade will. I mean... you three will probably even get us more money that the Raiders in the slave trade. We'll probably just kill the boy."

"Fuck you!" Lorik barks as he slips on his visor and sits in the far corner, "Clank... can you hack the ships system?"

"I could but it's all foreign to me. I might do something wrong. I'll have to scan the entire network to get familiar with it."

"And how long with that take?"

"A day or two?"

"You're guessing?"

"The lowest possible amount of time too. Longest amount of time is about a week."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me."

"Who the fuck are you talking to? Are—are you crazy or something?" Angel asks as she sits next to Lorik.

"Get... the fuck... away from me."

"Look, we're trapped in here together. If you're hatching a plan we need to know so we can help you."

"I'm talking to my A.I. So if you can go away... that'll be nice." Angel slaps the back of his head and he slaps her back. She then grabs his arm and rolls up his sleeve.

"I knew it!" She whispers as Dante takes back his arm and rolls down his sleeve, "How the fuck are you a Siren?"

"I don't fucking know! I was working on a customers hover-board and I started feeling pain in my arm. And it was these crappy tattoos!"

"They're not tattoos! Their elemental codes."

"Elemental codes? Clank says their genetic codes."

"Well... they are but each Siren is connected to an Eridian Element."

"Isn't Eridium and element on its own?"

"Yes but the Eridians gave us the other elements."

"How the fuck do you know this?"

"I can hear them." Lorik scoots away from her and she rolls her eyes, "They're not gone. They're in dark space. Don't know how but they are."

"Just stay away from me. I didn't ask to be a Siren. I don't want to be a Siren! Sure it's cool to have mental powers and teleport and shit but I'm a freak!" Angel slaps him and he glares at her, "Do. That. _Again_." She glares at him as his pupils turn to slits and she holds up her hands.

"Sorry... sorry." Lorik turns his back to her and she walks over to Maya and Lilith, "He's a fucking Siren, dude!"

"You're shitting me." Lilith says lazily as she rests her cheek in her palm, "What the fuck is going on with the universe."

"H-how is a man a Siren?" Angel shrugs and they all look at him, conversing to himself, "Is he insane?"

"No, he's talking to his A.I. called Clank." They raise their eyebrows again and she just shrugs.

"How the hell do you make these things work?!" The man who hit Lorik demands as he holds up Ivory.

"LET HER GO!" Lorik demands as he walks up to the cell bars, "They'll only work with my voice!"

"What the fuck kind of guns are these?"

"I made them myself, you son of a bitch!" The captain looks at the gun and then at Lorik.

"Can you make more?" Lorik spits in his face and Angel snickers.

"I'd never make anything for pigs like you!" The captain reaches through the cell and Grab Lorik by the throat.

"If I can't shoot these things then I'll beat you to death with them!"

"Big talk from a man with no balls." The captain raises his eyebrows and the Lorik kicks him in the balls through the cell. He drops Lorik and cries out in pain. Lorik and the Sirens laugh at him; and even the guards silently snicker at him.

"You little... fucking punk!" He winces as he holds his groin in pain, "Kill him!" He orders the guards as he slowly gets up and puts Ivory in his belt loop.

"I'll get my guns back you son of a bitch! AND I'LL MELT YOUR FACE!" The guards shock Lorik again and he winces in pain. Angel drags him away as the guards open the door.

"Hand him over."

"Fuck you!" Angel yells as she puts Lorik behind her. They both shock her and she cries out in pain as she crumbles to the ground. Lorik lets out a battle cry as he tackles one of the guards and grabs his face with his left hand. The markings then glow through his jacket and the man screams as his shadow slowly chokes him.

"GET OFF OF HIM!" Maya and Lilith tackle the other guard and take his spear.

"Fuck you!" Maya yells as she stabs him in the face and shocks him. He screams out in pain as his eyes sizzle out of his sockets. Lorik stands up and peers out of the cell.

"Seriously... you'd think he'd take longer to limp out of here. I have steel toed boots!"

"Shut up and lets get out of here!" Maya yells as she grabs his arm. He yanks it away and they all stare at him.

"I'm not leaving without Ebony and Ivory!" He runs down the hall and they chase after him.

"Don't be stupid, Lok... uh...Lerk? Uh... what is his name?" Lilith stammers.

"It's Lorik!" Angel yells as she grabs Lorik's arm, "Calm down, dude! We'll get your guns back!"

* * *

A soldier knees down and offers Michael a canteen of water. He takes it and stares at the soldier. Another one passes them and helps Father Grimes with his tourniquet. Michael stands up and walks over to Father Grimes and gives him the canteen.

"Have you found them yet?" Father Grimes asks as he takes a few sips of water.

"No... their last known location was somewhere in the south."

"What about the ion trail?" The solders cock their heads at Michael and he rolls his eyes, "Lorik was on his hover-board when he was running away from you bastards. He uses solar energy that powers a deluded Eridium crystal at the core of main thruster." The soldiers nod and walk away to the pilot's cabin. Michael sits down next to Father Grimes with a sigh.

"He'll be fine, Michael."

"If the Sirens haven't got to him first."

"They mean him no harm."

"He doesn't know that." Father Grimes groans in realization and Michael nods, "He'll put up a fight."

"That boy is as stubborn as they come." Father Grimes pours some of the water onto his leg and winces, "Next time I drive, my boy." Michael gives him a fake laugh and swipes the canteen away.

"He's got Clank but all he is is an enabler for his shenanigans." Michael takes a sip of water and the ship makes a hard right and they both bang their heads together. They yell in shock and one of the soldiers returns.

"We picked up his ion trail but it goes cold in Salvation."

"WHAT?!" They both yell as Michael shoots out of his seat.

"It just... goes cold?!" Father Grimes yells as he grabs the soldier.

"Yes but we picked up another trail." They both look at him and he sighs, "Pirates attacked Salvation as well. Our guess is that they captured both Lorik and our Sirens and took them off Eve." Father Grimes grabs his chest and Michael sits him down.

"FATHER?!"

"GET ME A MEDIC! HE'S HAVING A HEART ATTACK!" The soldier yells as he rips Father Grimes' shirt off and starts to give him CPR."

"OH GOD, HELP HIM!" Two more soldiers rush over with a medical kit and another guides Michael aside as they put an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose and lift him onto a portable gurney. Michael covers his face as tears roll down his cheeks, "PLEASE GOD NOT NOW!"

* * *

Lorik and Angel peek around a corner and see one a large loading bay that's been converted into a type of bar where hundreds of pirates are drinking and cleaning guns. Maya and Lilith join them and Maya's eyes widen.

"There! There's the captain!" Lorik whispers as he eyes his guns. His eyes widen as he watches the captain bang them on a table. He grits his teeth as Angel holds him back, "I'll fucking kill him!"

"Patience. We have to cause a distraction." Angel whispers as she pats his back, "Patience."

"I'll show you a distraction." Lorik rips off his sleeves, completely revealing the arm part of his markings and they all gasp in surprise. He extends his left arm and the markings start to glow a faint hue of purple along with his eyes. A pirate then begins to scream as he stands up and picks up his guns. He then starts to shoot his comrades and the entire bar erupts into a bloody bar fight.

"Nice job." Lilith chuckles. They then hide behind the wall as a few bullets ricochet right in front of them.

"We'll hang back before it blows over." Maya sighs as they sit down, "Where's Lorik?" Lilith and Maya glares at Angel but she's not there as well, "OH—WHAT THE HELL?!" The peer around the corner again and see Lorik and Angel sneaking along the walls towards the captain who's using his own shotgun to fed off his pirates.

"CALM DOWN, YOU BASTARDS!" The captain yells as he blows a woman away, "CALM DOWN!"

"I have to say... this is the most fun I've had in years!" Angel cheers as they hide behind a wall.

"I gotta say lady... you have a strange definition for fun." Bullets start to shoot through the wall, getting ever closer to Lorik's head and Angel's eyes widen as she pulls him towards her and they both fall down; Lorik on top of her. He looks behind himself and sees another bullet rip through the wall where his head was. He looks back at Angel and their nose to nose, "Thanks for that."

"No problem." Angel blushes as they stare into each other. Lorik gets a better look at her and starts to blush as well. Her hair is shaved on one side and the other is long and in a few braids on her bangs. Her eyes are so blue he feels as though their piercing into his. She then pushes him off and dusts herself off, "Now, can we get what we came for?" Lorik nods and peers around the corner. The fighting has stopped and the captain is scolding the survivors. Lorik looks at the table and sees both Ebony and Ivory are on the table.

"There yo two are." He gets on all fours and crawls towards his guns.

"WHAT... IN THE HELL WERE ALL YOU THINKING?!"

"Crazy bastard starting shooting up the place!" The captain shoots her in the foot and she squeals in pain.

"Does that give you and every other stupid bastard still standing to start a fucking riot on _MY_ ship?!" They all shakes their heads and the captain spits in rage, "Clean this shit up!" Lorik grabs his guns and starts to crawl back, "Get any survivors to the infirmary." Angel helps Lorik up and the captain walks out of the bay. Lilith and Maya beckon them both quickly and they rush over to them.

"Great, you got your guns. Can we please leave now?!" Lilith grabs Angel's arm and Maya grabs Lorik and they both run out of the bay and down the hall.

"Where are the damn life boats?" Maya growls as they search every corner, "What kind of ship doesn't have life boats?!"

"Well we need to know where we are first. Life boats can only go so far. What if we're in the middle of open space?"

"Oh god." Angel whimpers as she stares out a window.

"What is it?" Lorik pushes her aside and looks out the window. His eyes widen and Clank beeps within his visor.

"Oh God. We're at Hermes; The Planet of Thieves." Lilith groans and Angel stares at Maya, "We're so screwed."

"That. You Are." Lorik slowly turns around and sees the captain and five other pirates aiming guns at them, "How'd you get out?" Lorik flashes his left arm with a smirk and his eyes widen, "What the f-"

"Boo!" Lorik jokes as he shoots his shadow at them, blasting them back and through a door.

"TIME TO RUN!" Maya yells as she grabs Lorik's arm and pulls him away.

"KILL THEM!" The captain yells as he opens fire.

Bullets burn past them as they all race down a narrow corridor. A bullet grazes Lorik on his right shoulder and he whimpers in pain as he holds it. They make an immediate right turn and Lorik slides along the floor and bangs against the wall before he keeps running.

"CLANK! SCAN THE SHIP AND FIND THE NEAREST POD!"

"Scanning!" The entire ship gets highlighted in red in his visor as a few parts of the ship are lighted in white, "Three pods are currently right above you!" Another bullet knocks his visor off of his face. It dangles around his neck and he grabs Lilith and Maya by the arms to stop them.

"WHAT THE H-"

"HOLD ON!" Lorik jumps up and breaks through the ceiling; carrying Maya and Lilith. Then knees down and pulls Angel up before a stray bullet can hit her in the leg, "There are three pods here!" Lorik throws Maya in one and Lilith jumps in another.

"What about you? This can only fit one!?"

"Don't go getting all wet, lady!" Lorik sits down and pulls her onto his lap, "I'm not sacrificing myself for you." The clear sliding doors close and the captain bangs on it as the pod detaches and they both wave goodbye.

"I'LL GET YOU, YOU LITTLE FUCKS!" He yells right before the engines kick in and they blast towards Hermes.

"Get you hand out of my—OHH!" Angel gasps as Lorik pulls his hand out of her back pocket, "Did you have to squeeze?!"

"Don't flatter yourself. I was trying to get the blood circulating." They wiggle in what little room they have and Angel begins to blush again.

"I really thought you were gonna stay behind."

"Like I said... don't flatter yourself. I would've left you but I didn't want your death on my conscience. Plus the other two would've killed me as soon as we landed." The cabin then begins to shake and the see explosions all around them, "OH SHIT!" Lorik pushes a button and the seat rotates and moves closer to a control console. Angel squeaks as she's pushed closer to Lorik and he screams as her weight crushes his groin.

"Sorry." She sighs as she maneuvers on his lap as two joysticks pop out. Lorik gasps in pain again and he headbutts her in the back of the head, "OW! WHAT THE FUCK?!"

"STOP MOVING!" He grabs the joysticks and starts flying the pod. He dodges the flak as they start to enter the atmosphere.

"I didn't know you can drive!"

"My mother taught me!" A shell strikes the side of the pod and the glass begins to crack, "CLANK?!"

"Hull integrity at fifty-seven percent! If we don't slow down the vanity with shatter during reentry!"

"OH THAT'S JUST GREAT!" Lorik pulls back on the joysticks as fire begins to engulf the pod, "STILL HAVING FUN?!"

"YES!" Angel cheers as she holds her hands up in the air, "STILL FUN!" Lorik rolls his eyes and continues to pull back.

"WE'RE NOT SLOWLING DOWN!" Lorik pulls back even more and both joysticks are ripped off. Angel and Lorik look at them and then at each other. He shrugs with a crooked smile and weak chuckle and then they both begin to scream as the pod enters the planet and they begin their free fall.

Maya and Lilith both land their pods safely in a forest and step out. The run to each other and start check the other for any wounds. They then both hug each other in laughter and look up to see another pod veering of course and tearing itself apart.

"Is that Angel and Lorik?" Maya squints her eyes and hears them both screaming.

"Yep." Lilith sighs as she rolls her shoulder in pain, "Let's get after them."

Angel and Lorik's pod crash into water and they both headbutt the console. Angel grabs her leg in and screams in pain as water starts to fill the cabin.

"LORIK?!" Lorik takes out Ebony and aims in at the vanity.

"Cover your ears!" He flicks the switch and the gun begins to charge, "Ebony! Electric compound, single-fire!" The gun hisses and Lorik pulls the trigger and shatters the glass, flooding the pod with water. They both take a deep breath before it reaches their heads and Lorik unbuckles the automatic seat belt. Angel grabs her leg in pain and grabs Lorik arm to get his attention. He rolls his eyes as he grabs her and swims up with her in his arms.

They breach the surface and gasp for air as Angel leans back into Lorik, crying in pain. He wraps his arm around her bust and starts to swim towards the shore. When they finally reach it he lies Angel onto the sand and lies down next to her, taking slow, deep breaths.

"Still... having... fun." He sighs as he looks at her.

"My leg." She cries as she holds it, blood spurting out. Lorik's eyes widen and he starts to tear off a long piece of cloth fro his pants.

"Hold still!" Lorik wraps it a few inches above her leg and ties it down tight. She winces in pain as he knots it, "Sorry." He gets a good look at it and sees a thin piece of metal through her thigh, "I'm gonna have to pull it out." He takes out ebony again and it's still in electric, "Ebony. Fire compound, single-fire." The gun charges then hisses. He aims it at the ground and fires a couple shots, burning the earth. He then tears off more cloth and looks Angel in the eye, "Ready?"

"Yeah." She nods hurriedly as she grabs her leg to keep it still.

"On three. One... two." He rips it out of her leg and she gasps in pain but no scream comes out as she rests her head on his shoulder.

"What happened to three?" She winces as she starts to bleed profusely. Lorik wraps his hand in cloth and then picks up a burning piece f earth and holds her leg down, "This is gonna hurt."

"No sh-" She screams in pain as he cauterizes both holes in her leg, "AH—SHIT!" She starts to shake in pain and is gripping his arm; digging her nails into his skin. He throws the rock away and tightens her tourniquet. He then helps her up and she winces as she tries to put weight on her leg, "I can't walk." She cries as she continues to hold her leg.

"Put your arms around my neck." He says as he knees down. She complies and he wraps his arms under her knees and picks her up, "Did you see where the other two landed?"

"No." Lorik looks around and then a loud boom echos through the sky. They both look up and see the pirate ship entering the atmosphere, "Ah-"

"SHIT!" Lorik runs into the forest, Angel holding on tightly.

* * *

Maya and Lilith duck down as a loud boom carries over the wind. They look up and through the canopy of trees, see the pirate ship they escaped. They loot at each other and then bolt down a small stream leading to a large lake. They see the remains of the pod and look around frantically.

"ANGEL?!"

"LORIK?! ANGEL?!" Maya runs her fingers through her hair with a worried look, "Could they still be-"

"No... the vanity is busted open and I don't see anyone. But I do see this." Maya joins her side and gasps as she sees a small, smoking crater and a lot of blood, "Oh god... one of them is hurt."

"Badly. That's a lot of blood." Lilith feels the burning rubble and sighs, "It's still warm. They couldn't have gotten far."

"Especially if Angel is the one carrying Lorik."

"Man... why can't every Siren see a Siren's aura like Angel?" They look around and the Pirate grows closer, "We gotta move."

"Which way, though?"

"We just gotta find civilization. I'm pretty sure that's what they're gonna do as well."

"But if they do they'll be surrounded by pirates!" Lilith shrugs and starts walking back towards the forest and Maya joins her side, "You heard Lorik! This planet is called, _The Planet of Thieves_!"

"Don't go being mama goose, Maya. Angel can protect herself."

"Not with that collar on." Maya adjusts hers and Lilith does the same.

"She's got Lorik. He has guns... and no collar."

"Yeah... about that." Lilith raises an eyebrow, "I still can't believe a man is a Siren. How can that be possible?"

"I don't know. But I believe my own two eyes, and what I saw is a young man with Siren markings teleporting and making a man go crazy out of his mind and shooting his friends. That to me screams Siren. How 'bout you?" Maya shrugs as she steps over a log.

"All I really care about right now is finding Angel and getting the hell outta here."

"And Lorik."

"Could give a rats ass about him right now." Lilith slaps her shoulder and she glares at him, "What?"

"He's a Siren like us! He's a sis—brother. We're gonna get them both outta here, safe and sound. We're gonna get back to Pandora and the four us will work on being a family like the old Sirens!" Maya holds up her hands in defeat and the pirate ship looms overhead, "You don't think they can see us... do you?" Maya shrugs and then a mortar lands in front of them and sends them flying backwards. Lilith slams against a tree while Maya hits her head on the log she walked over.

"YES! I THINK THEY CAN!" They both get up and start running.

* * *

Lorik steps into a stream as Angel winces over his shoulder. He almost slips on a hidden rock but regains his footing. He hikes Angel up to regain his hold on his and continues walking through the ice cold stream.

"M-must be freezing." She mumbles, "You should rest."

"I ain't restin' until we find some civilization." A faint explosion catches their attention and when they look behind themselves they see the pirate ship firing off mortars a few miles back, towards the lake.

"Could be Maya and Lilith!" Angel cries as she tries to get off Lorik. He holds her still and continues walking, "Where the hell are you going?!"

"To find a cave or something safe to put you down." He steps out of the stream and looks around, "No use in getting us both killed." He sets her down in a small cropping of bushes and trees. He takes out Ebony and switches her on, "Ebony. Acid compound, single-fire mode." The gun hisses to life and he hands it to Angel, "If anyone but the others or me comes back... shoot them." She nods and Lorik teleports away, leaving Angel alone, hurting in the forest.

Maya and Lilith are running through the forest as mortar shell after mortar shell strikes the earth all around them. Tearing down trees and scattering what little forest creatures there are into the wind. Lorik teleports right in front of them and then lets out a small scream as they all collide with a thud. Both Maya and Lilith fall on top of Lorik as a mortar shell lands a few feet away from them; blasting them off the ground and in the air. Maya lands on a bush while Lorik lands on top of Lilith.

"GOD DAMN IT!" Lilith cries as Lorik slowly stands up.

"Sorry." He helps her up and Maya runs up to them.

"WHERE'S ANGEL?!"

"Somewhere safe!" He grabs both of their arms tightly and starts to run, "No matter what, keep moving you legs!" Lorik then teleports right before a mortar shell strikes their location. The appear a few meters away and Maya screams in pain and falls down. Lilith looks behind herself and Maya's foot is flipped in the other direction, "I TOLD YOU TO KEEP MOVING!" He picks Maya up and grabs Lilith. He teleports again and the mortar shells cease.


End file.
